It took a long time coming, but Indian shooting finally had a gold from the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games on Friday (September 25, 2026), the sixth day of competition.

Suruchi Phogat and Kamaljeet, both in their maiden continental outing, propped each other up to break the golden drought, and both admitted their individual disappointments had made them desperate for this win.

“Perhaps it wasn’t our day that day in individual events, and today was India’s day. I was really upset and sad after the individual event, I kept thinking what had happened and how,” Surichi admiteed.

Golden start for India 🥇 Suruchi Singh and Kamaljeet won India's second gold medal at the Asian Games 2026, topping the 10m Air Pistol mixed team final. Video: @rvmoorthyhindupic.twitter.com/la5LCOfYHL

“I had never expected to score so less — it was almost 20 below my average, it was unacceptable, specially in the qualifications. No, no, no. I don’t even remember when I shot so low.

“But when it happened, I realised something was wrong. I went back, slept, and then Samresh (Jung) sir said it wasn’t in our control and that there was another chance in the mixed team now.

“He keeps telling us that you are a true athlete only when you manage to go back up from being down.” Kamaljeet, who had missed his final by a single point only a day before, was even more candid.

India’s Suruchi Phogat and Kamaljeet who won the 10M air pistol mixed team gold at the Asian Games in Japan on Friday, September 25, 2026. | Photo Credit: R.V. Moorthy

“Yesterday I was sad the whole day, crying in my room. But then sir told me I was to shoot in the mixed team and it changed things, I thought I had another chance to go back with a medal. It is not difficult to be mentally ready, I want to shoot every day,” he declared.

Suruchi had set targets for herself that she had promised to tell The Hindu after winning her first gold here. She kept her word. “I had targeted 295 in the qualification and I managed 296, so that was good. And for the final, I had thought of 246, I came close with 245.7 but the last time I managed this was at the National Games in Dehradun (2025) so it’s ok,” she smiled.